Note finder



United States Patent O 3,180,209 NOTE FINDER Albert McDowell, RR. 4, Box 226A, Goshen, Intl. Filed Jan. 23, `1963, Ser. No. 253,378 8 Claims. (Qi. 34--477) This invention relates to music teaching aids and more particularly to note finders.

It is an object of this invention to provide a note finder device which includes means for identifying a full range of notes in both the treble and bass clefs, wherein the device is of a size which may be held in one hand of the user, even though the user may be a small child.

Another object of this invention is to provide a note finder device in which a note may be selectively positioned in either the treble or bass clef for identification by the user and if identification is not made, then the note finder may be inverted and the note will be automatically identified.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a note finder having a novel construction comprising a pair of telescoping elements, one of said elements comprising a novel masking means for the other.

These and other objects of this invention will become further apparent with reference to the following specifications and drawings which relate to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a front perspective of the invention;

FIGUREI 2 is a back perspective of the invention in a position corresponding to that of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed front plan view of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed back plan view of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a ,cross section taken along line 5 5 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is across section taken along line 6 6 of FIGURE 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the note finder 10 of the present invention is shown as comprising a tinted transparent plastic sleeve 12 externally and telescopically disposed with respect to an internal index slide 14 in the form of a fiat card or the like.

As additionally illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, the sleeve 12 is in the form of a flattened tube having front yand rear planar faces in substantial juxtaposition with corresponding front and rear planar faces of the card or index slide 14.

Referring to FIGURES l and 3, the front planar face of the sleeve 12 is shown as including a note shaped window or master note 16. The corresponding face of the index slide or card 14 is provided with a transversely disposed musical staff 18 having several additional lines and spaces above and below the said staff 18, whereby the normal range of printed musical notes is provided for. A treble clef 20 is indicated by its conventional symbol at one end of the staff 18 while a bass clef 22, inverted with respect to the treble clef 20, is indicated by its usual symbol at the other end of the staff 18.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 and 4, the rear planar face of the sleeve 12 is shown as including a pair of horizontally aligned viewing windows 24 and 26. The corresponding rear face of the index slide or card 14 is provided with a second musical staff 28 which, as specif'ically shown, is a mirror image of the staff I8, the lines and spaces of the two said staffs being identically positioned on opposite sides of the index slide or card 14. A second treble clef 30 is provided at one end of the second staff 2S while a second bass clef 32, inverted with respect to the second treble clef 30 is provided at the other end of the said second staff 2S. Additional lines and spaces are provided above and below the second staff 28 identical to those above and below the first staff 18.

Immediately adjacent the inner edge of the second treble clef 3l? is a vertical column of letters 34 identifying each line and space of the second musical staff 28 referenced to the standard notes associated with a treble clef. Immediately adjacent the inner edge of the second bass clef 32 is a second vertical column of letters 36, which cornprises a complete inversion of the first column 34, whereby each ine and space of the second musical staff 2S is identified with reference to the standard notes associated with a bass clef.

As indicated by simultaneous reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 or to FIGURES 3 and 4, the master note or noteshaped window 16 is positioned on the first musical staff 1S in the identical position as are the aligned viewing windows 24 and 26 on the second musical staff 28.

As further indicated in FIGURES 2 and 4, the first viewing window 24 is in registry with a letter in the first vertical column of letters 34 while the second viewing window 26 is in registry with a corresponding letter in the second vertical column of letters 36.

Both faces of the sleeve 12 are cutout at one end thereof to form a recess 38 whereby the corresponding end of the index slide or card 14 may be readily grasped between a thumb and foreiinger of a user.

In operation, the master note 16 is selectively positioned in a space or on a line of the first musical staff 18 by grasping the index card 14 adjacent the recessed area 38 on the sleeve 12 in one hand and grasping the tinted transparent sleeve 12 in the other hand and moving the card 14 and sleeve 12 relative to one another until the master note 16 is properly positioned,

By means of the relative inversion of the first treble clef 20 and first bass clef 22, the master note 16 designates both a treble and a bass note by its single position on the card. Thus in the upright position of the note finder 10, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 of the drawings, the music student or other user of the note finder 1f) is viewing a notein the treble clef while if the note finder 10 is inverted, the user or music student will be viewing a note in the bass clef.

The positioning of the master note 16 on a selected line or space of the first staff 1S results in a simultaneous and corresponding positioning of the first and second viewing windows 24 and 2d on the same line or space of the second staff 23 and in registry with the proper identifying numerals in the rst and second vertical columns 34 and 36, respectively. Thus, if the music student or user cannot identify the note corresponding to the position of the master note 16 on the first staff 13 in either the treble or bass clefs, he has merely to roll the note finder 10 over from the position of FIGURES 1 and 3 to that of FIGURES 2 and 4, whereby the note in the treble clef will 'oe identified by the letter 34 viewed through the first viewing window 24. inverting the note finder 10 from the position of FIGURES 2 and 4 will result in identification of the note in the bass clef by the letter 36 viewed through the second viewing window 26.

As can be seen from the foregoing specification and drawings, this invention provides a note finder having a novel construction and mode of operation and which is also highly compact and foolproof in operation.

It is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention shown and described herein is for the purpose of example only and is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: l. A note nder comprising a two-faced planar slide,

J a first staff on oneV facel oflsaid slide, a first treble clef and a first bass clef on opposite ends of said first staff, one of said clefs being inverted with respect to the other, a second staff on the other face of said slide, a second .trebleclef and a second bass vclef Von opposite ends of said second staff corresponding in position to said first treble and bass clefs, respectively, a first plurality of indicia y for the lines and spaces of said second staff defined by sheath having master note means thereon adjacent said one side of said slide adapted t0 be visually positioned on said first staff, and indicating .means on said sheath adjacent rsaid other side of said slide adapted to register with said first and` second pluralities of indicia on said second staff corresponding to the treble and bass fclef po, v. sitions of said master note means on said first Staff.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said sheath,

is composed of tinted transparent material and said master staff on the other face of said first slide, a plurality of indicia for the lines and spaces of said second staff; and a second two-faced slide means, slidably movable with respect to said first slide means, having first and second faces adapted to be juxtaposed with said Yone and said other faces, respectively, of said first slide means, said second slide meansincludingmaster noter'neans on said first face adapted to be visually positioned on said first staff and indicatingfmeans on said second face adapted to register with said plurality of indicia on said second staff correspondingto the positions of said master note means on said first staff.

, 8. A note finder comprising, a first two-faced slide i means, a first staff on one face of fsaid first slide, a first note means and said indicating means comprise shaped H openings in said sheath.

@3. The inventionV dened in claim 1, wherein said,y sheath includes indentations in one endk .thereof adjacentl both surfaces of said slide, whereby relative sliding movement between said sheath and said slide is facilitated.

V4. A note finder comprising a two-faced planar slide,

i a-first staff onone face of said slide, a second staff on ,I the other face of said slide, a plurality of indicia for the `lines and spaces of said second staff; and transparent sheath means, externallyvand telescopically encompassing said slide, said sheath having master note means thereon adjacent said one side of-said slide adapted to be visually y shaped openings in said sheath.

6. The invention definedrin claim 4, wherein said sheath includes indentations in one end ythereofadjacent both surfaces of said slide, whereby relative sliding movement betweensaid sheath andsaidslide is facilitated.

7. A note finder comprising a first two-faced slide means,l a first vstaff on one face of said first slide, a second treble clef and afirst bass clef on opposite ends of said first staff, one .of said clefs being inverted with respect to the other, asecond staff on the other face of rsaid first l slide, a second treble clef-and asecond bass clef. on oppositeend of said second staff corresponding in position to staff defined by said second bass clef; and a second two` faced slide means slidably .movable Withrespect to said `first slide means, having first and second faces .adapted i to be juxtaposed with said one and said other faces, V,respectif/ely,l ,0f Said first slide-means, said second slide stati, and indicating means on said second face of said second slide means adapted to register with said first and second pluralities of .indicia on said second staff corresponding to thetreble and bass `clef positions of said master note means on said first staff.

VReferences Cited by the Examiner UNITEDv STATES PATENTS 1,313,449 8/19 Barker 84-478 V1,392,977 -10/*21 ASwan.

2,079,920 n 5/377 Orzada 84-473 V2,516,485 i7/50- Rogers 84-477 2,582,544 1/52 Johnson 84-470X 2,619,867 12/52= Frisch 84--475 FOREIGN APATENTS k9,641 4/ 01 Great Britain.

LEO SMILOW, PrmaryfExaminer. 

1. A NOTE FINDER COMPRISING A TWO-FACED PLANAR SLIDE, A FIRST STAFF ON ONE FACE OF SAID SLIDE, A FIRST TREBLE CLEF AND A FIRST BASS CLEF ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FIRST STAFF, ONE OF SAID CLEFTS BEING INVERTED WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER, A SECOND STAFF ON THE OTHER FACE OF SAID SLIDE, A SECOND TREBLE CLEF AND A SECOND BASS CLEF ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SECOND STAFF CORRESPONDING IN POSITION TO SAID FIRST TREBLE AND BASS CLEFS, RESPECTIVELY, A FIRST PLURALITY OF INDICIA FOR THE LINES AND SPACES OF SAID SECOND STAFF DEFINED BY THE SECOND TREBLE CLEF AND A SECOND PLURALITY OF INDICIA FOR THE LINES AND SPACES OF SAID SECOND STAFF DEFINED BY 